The idea of a ‘witch’ was usually female in Western Europe, but not so in Orthodox Russia – partly because of the period’s rigid social hierarchies.
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Articles on Magic
Displaying 1 - 20 of 33 articles
By casting spells and creating online persona to fool their victims, the Ivorian figure of the “brouteur” reveals the connections between the occult and virtual dimensions.
People don’t just go on retreat to discover themselves. They also go hoping to find magical connections with others.
Two Christmas traditions – those around the birth of Jesus and Santa who brings gifts to all – contain strong elements of magic.
From devil to potion to miracle drug, chocolate’s arrival in Europe was a wild ride.
What’s behind Gen Z’s appetite for tarot and spells? 16th century debates about witchcraft help explain why the occult has become viral on TikTok.
Scent and magic have been entwined in our imaginations for centuries – right up to today’s witch-inspired perfumes.
Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction when it comes to the magicians of the Victorian era.
Interest in Wicca and witchcraft appears to be increasing, but what exactly is Wicca in the first place?
If it rains on St Swithin’s day it is believed that it will rain for the rest of summer.
Because of their appearance, people with albinism in Tanzania are often socially excluded and frequently (and sometimes violently) discriminated against.
Although many modern people tend to see ‘magic’ and ‘religion’ as separate, magic was actually integral to the development of Christianity.
As the U.S. election approaches, various groups have mobilized to vote. But witches have taken it a little further, organizing online spellcasting meet-ups to engage in magical resistance.
Is magic all about spells and hocus pocus, or is it simply another way of looking at how the universe works?
The idea of organized satanic witchcraft was invented in 15th-century Europe by church and state authorities, who at first had a hard time convincing regular folks it was real.
Across the Graeco-Roman Empire, the romantically challenged turned to magic to improve their chances
Leila Waddell entered the world stage as an acclaimed violinist - and left it having influenced magical practice into the 21st century.
Voodoo is often seen as a practice involving magic. In Haiti, Voodoo is a religion born out of the struggle of slaves. And today, it is used as a form of healing and protection.
Hidden forces are always at work in the world, and people always want to control them, a cognitive anthropologist explains. Enter the human universal of shamanism.
Reports of demonic possession are once again on the rise. But during the devil’s last apogee in early modern Europe, demonic afflictions were taken seriously by both priests and physicians.
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PhD Candidate in Classical Studies, The Open University
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Associate Professor in Archaeology and Space Studies, Flinders University
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Professor of Classics, University of Newcastle
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Senior Lecturer in Media Arts, UNSW Sydney
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Professor of Human Geography, Royal Holloway University of London
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Professor of Political Science, Pro Vice Chancellor of the Social Sciences, University of Nottingham
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Professor of Early Modern European History, University of Cambridge
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Senior Lecturer in Classics, Swansea University
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Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London
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Teaching Fellow in Medieval Studies, University of Leeds
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Reader in Applied Cognitive Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University
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Lecturer in Popular Music, Goldsmiths, University of London
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Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Cognitive and Parapsychology, Manchester Metropolitan University
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Senior Lecturer in New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity
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Associate Professor in Critical Media Studies, University of Calgary
